


Dance A Little Dance With Me

by SeverNSkull



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Crimes & Criminals, Detectives, Multi, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-04-08 04:21:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19099633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeverNSkull/pseuds/SeverNSkull
Summary: Kakashi has been chasing the notorious Phantom Thief for most of his career and finally, he may have a chance to stop him at his own game with his team of highly-trained -- or at least he'd like to think so -- Special Agents. Will he succeed or will the thief continue to be 'the one who got away'?Fic for The Seasonal Summer Santa Solstice Siesta Fiesta 2019 or SSSSSFiesta





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Stardust_and_Rainy_Days](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stardust_and_Rainy_Days/gifts).



> Gosh, I didn't think I'd finish, but hopefully, if I posted it, I did. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed it, Demuri! Lol and obviously you were right that I was the one making your gift! I'm not stealthy in the slightest.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hunt for The Phantom Thief begins and the perpetrator himself leaves his calling card.

Kakashi was feeling particularly irked today. He had to wake up before the crack of dawn and make his way to the National Museum of Fire on only a few hours of sleep. He had only himself to blame though and should have seen it coming. The only explanation why he hadn’t could only be that he was getting tired of this game between him and the Phantom Thief.

 

Once he pulled up to the museum, he observed that it was still pitch black outside and around the museum. Luckily, a few of his crew members were already here with generators and lights on the crime scene and a paper cup of dark roasted coffee waiting for him just behind the police line.

 

“Good morning, Captain,” the most senior of the two greeted, handing over the cup. “Ready to take a look at what we got?”

 

Kakashi nodded, pulling down his scarf to sip on the warm drink, livening him up. “Maa, Tenzou. Since I’m here I might as well.”

 

“Might as well. I’m glad you’re here, Captain.” Tenzou shot him a grin and lifted the police line banner up for Kakashi to duck under. The two fell in step together as they made their way up the museum steps. News crews had already begun filming and reporting on the incident filling the surrounding area with light and sound.

 

“How long ago was it discovered?” Kakashi asked when they reached the top where all the lights were focused.

 

“Not too long ago. A security guard called it in about an hour ago, but according to a few spectators, the power has been out for a bit longer than that. Maybe twenty minutes?” 

 

Kakashi mulled that over. Just like their usual M.O., there wouldn’t be any footage of the incident either. 

 

“How long until the power’s back on?” Kakashi asked, taking another sip of his coffee, cringing as he tasted the disgustingly bitter coffee on his tongue. 

 

Tenzou looked honestly abashed by that. “Well… we don’t know yet. Naruto’s been trying to get ahold of the power company but they won’t be able to send anyone out here until morning. As it is, the exhibits are being guarded by the museum’s back up power.”

 

“Maa, that’s troubling,” Kakashi said, and it was. It meant it’d be more difficult to look for any evidence left behind by the thief. But then, he didn’t usually leave anything behind other than a snarky note to detail his plans. Thankfully, they didn’t manage to snatch their prize, yet. 

 

Tenzou opened the front door to the museum and held it for Kakashi to let him inside where their path was lined with police tape on either side leading to the beginning of his case. The path led to a magnificent room with a glistening, jewel necklace in the middle of the room, locked inside a glass display case. Two of the floodlights were focused on it, humming loudly as they ran on generated power and leaving no doubt that it was exactly what the thief had wanted.

 

“Good morning, Kakashi,” Dr. Rin Nohara, their forensics expert greeted him, without turning from where she stood by the display case, dusting for prints. “Didn’t expect you to show up so early after such a late night.” She chuckled as she teased him. 

 

Kakashi mustered up a grin to offer her. They’d been friends since they were kids, a little teasing would only be in good fun. He had to admit she was right, however; he hardly got any sleep at all since becoming the Captain over his division. 

 

“Crime never sleeps and neither do I,” he replied, half-jokingly. 

 

She turned her head to glimpse at him, lowering the brush. “It certainly seems that way, doesn’t it?”

 

Tenzou grunted in agreement behind him. He had a habit of looking out for Kakashi even on his worst days. It was only natural he’d feel distaste for his Captain’s poor sleep schedule. 

 

Dr. Nohara raised a speculative eyebrow as she peered past Kakashi, “Is it really that bad, Tenzou?” She asked. Kakashi followed her gaze.

 

“Well--” He glanced to the side where one of the other agents was leaning against the wall nodding off, the whiskers on his cheeks twitching as he struggled to stay awake. “--I… can’t really say. But if you’ll excuse me for a moment, I have to deal with Agent Uzumaki for a moment.” 

 

It didn’t take him long to jog over to the other side of the room to awaken and reprimand the blond before leading the flustered young man out. 

 

“I really like him. He’s so…  _ loyal.” _

 

“‘Loyal?’ I thought you were going to say ‘sweet’.”

 

“‘Sweet?’ I’m sure he can be,” she shrugged, “but that’s not really something I’d immediately associate with Tenzou. He’s not really my type, to be honest.” 

 

“Ah, I see,” Kakashi murmured, taking another warm sip of bitter coffee. “So what are we dealing with this morning?”

 

Dr. Nohara shot him a grin and gestured to the jewels in the case beside her. “Do you know what these are, Kakashi?”

 

He, of course, knew the basics, but just about every school child in Konoha did since it was a national treasure. 

 

“Maa. Not much,” he admitted. “It’s the necklace of the first leader of Konoha and it’s called the ‘Fire Shadow’. I’ve heard it’s cursed with misfortune but also worth more than either of us will ever make.”

 

“I’ll say!” She said with a laugh. “You’ve got the basics down, Kakashi and I don’t know about it being cursed, but it is pretty valuable. It’s worth eight-hundred twenty million ryō.”

 

Kakashi let out an astonished whistle. “If I wasn’t a cop, I might just join forces with this cat burglar.”

 

“Same, but I don't think you’d get very far with it.” She looked longingly at the jewels before stepping off the dais to pack away her fingerprinting brush in its case. “The ‘Fire Shadow’ is mainly comprised of a thirty carat, deep-blue diamond, flanked on either side by two black star sapphires and held on a gold, segmented chain lined with forty other diamonds. And it’s historical value alone gives it even more value.” Dr. Nohara turned to face Kakashi and continued, crossing her arms over her chest, “Even if the perpetrator -- or perpetrators -- managed to successfully steal it, it’d be almost impossible to find a buyer unless the buyer was specifically looking to buy it. It’s just worth too much; it's too recognizable, Kakashi.”

 

“They could if they broke it down into smaller pieces. The diamond itself is worth the costs, although the individual pieces would lose value if they did,” Kakashi mused aloud, placing his lips on his cup. He paused and nodded at the display. “Did you manage to find anything over there?”

 

“Not much. It’s the same M.O. as the other hits. No fingerprints, no video. All that’s left is a note as  _ his _ calling card.”

 

Kakashi figured it was the Phantom Thief from the moment he was roused from bed, or rather 'office futon.' 

 

It was pretty unusual for the thief to strike so soon after a previous hit. Perhaps they were desperate or beginning to feel braver? This was far more valuable than anything else the thief had targeted with a much higher profile and it  _ worried him. _

 

“May I see the note?”

 

“Certainly.” Dr. Nohara picked up a sealed evidence bag from the table and handed it to him to examine as he pleased. 

 

“Is it authentic?” He asked as a churning feeling in his gut began to gnaw at his insides, making him feel more uneased than before.

 

“As far as I know, but I won’t be able to tell until I get it back to the lab and run tests on it. Who knows? Maybe our mystery man finally slipped up?”

 

“One can only hope.”

  
On that paper, thinly veiled by the evidence bag it was contained in, the thief's intentions were clearly stated and addressed to Kakashi himself in a cruel taunt, prodding at his nerves. It was his man alright and Kakashi had to restrain himself not to crumple the paper, but with his anger came hope sparking a flame of determination in his chest. That man… _ that bastard! _ He couldn’t let him get away with his crimes any longer. This time, he’d catch him in the act and put him away for good. 

My Dearest Captain,

I’ll be seeing you soon and taking the diamond with me. Until then, don't be too disappointed with me as I do intend to keep the date.

Yours truly,

_The Phantom Thief_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi is working hard to find out when the thief will strike. Someone else may just have a coincidental lead on it.

The precinct was a madhouse after that as his entire division worked frantically to deal with the latest Phantom Thief case. It didn’t help that the Director was breathing down his neck for results, but then, that was likely because the Prime Minister had chewed him out, demanding that the thief be caught.

 

Kakashi didn’t blame her or that shady Cabinet Minister, Danzo Shimura, for their outrage at the current situation. But unfortunately, it was rather difficult to catch a man that never left any evidence, had never been caught on camera, and had never been registered in the database for whatever bizarre ability he seemed to possess.

 

Everything about the Phantom Thief sent up red flags. He had a supernatural spark but no file when every and all persons with a spark were forced to document it. Even more baffling, there didn’t seem to be a single person in the history of Konoha or the Land of Fire that had a similar ability in a world where sparks tended to run in the family.

 

In fact, after sending for international records of a spark like the Phantom Thief’s they came up empty-handed yet again. It didn’t make any sense unless the spark manifested later in life. Even then it seemed improbable. Improbable, but not quite impossible.

 

He worked tirelessly to follow what evidence they had to coordinate his team and send out agents to follow each lead, but nothing turned up until Rin came into his office after her shift had finished.

 

“Good evening, Kakashi,” she greeted with a friendly smile, already bundled up her double-breasted coat, its collar turned down fashionably. White earmuffs covered her ears and she held a small, fine handbag slung over her shoulder.

 

By all intents and purposes, an outsider would believe that Dr. Nohara was an average woman without a spark to her name, however, that wasn’t true in the least. Like the suspect’s supposed ability, Rin had been born with seemingly no spark at all and it wasn’t until she became much older that she had discovered that that was not the case at all. And it all started with the loss of both his and Rin’s closest childhood friend -- the very reason they had joined the Land of Fire’s Spark Division once they were of age.

 

“Kakashi…?” Rin prodded curiously, pulling Kakashi from his musing.

 

“Hmm? Did you say something?”

 

She pouted at him, surely judging him for his folly. “I asked if you were going to fall asleep in your office again and clearly, that seems to be the case.”

 

“Ah, well the futon in here is pretty comfortable.”

 

“You’re a terrible liar and your excuses are even worse,” she scoffed with a mirthless chuckle.

 

He couldn’t argue there.

 

“So what brings you to my office this evening, Doctor?” He asked.

 

“Just checking up on you. Trying to see if you’ll at the very least come with me to get something to eat,” she offered with a shrug.

 

“Maa. Sorry, but as you can see, I’m awfully busy…” And he was, but going out to dinner was awfully tempting.

 

"As a doctor, I'll have to insist."

 

Kakashi tilted his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I suppose I could, but..." 

 

With a roll of her eyes and a humorous shake of her head, she added, “I’ll buy.”

 

“Deal.”

 

With that, Kakashi was out of his chair in a flash, stuffing his arms into his overcoat and wrapping his scarf around his neck, eager to put something in his belly other than the cheap brew that the office always seemed to have on hand. He had no idea where they got the foul-tasting crap or how it always tasted burnt and bitter on his tongue. Kakashi could have praised Rin right then and there, but he kept it to himself. It wouldn’t do to have her tease him even more than usual.

 

* * *

* * *

 

The pair of them soon found themselves at a barbeque restaurant a few blocks down from the station, its bright, neon sign flickering in places as they approached. It was both welcoming and heartbreakingly nostalgic, calling them inside.

 

“I can’t recall ever coming here with you without something to commemorate,” Kakashi commented, as he opened the door and held it for the petite woman.

 

Rin nodded in thanks as Kakashi followed her inside. “Well, we have plenty to commemorate.”

 

“Do we?”

 

“Mhm. I got you out of the office, didn’t I?” She teased him with a soft giggle and a friendly shove.

 

Kakashi couldn’t find it in himself to be annoyed. He appreciated her efforts whether she teased him about it or not and if he really needed to, he’d get her back for it. She was the one paying after all.

 

Despite the bustling atmosphere of the restaurant, a hostess seated them quickly and gave them time to settle in at their booth. Thankfully, it was near the back with fewer crowds so the two of them could have some privacy away from the raucous group near the front.

 

“So, what would you folks like to drink today?” The hostess asked, taking out a pad and pen with a beaming grin after setting menus on their table.

 

“Strawberry soju, please,” Rin responded immediately, her coat settled beside her on the booth.

 

“And for you, sir?”

 

“Uh, water for me,” Kakashi replied, slipping off his coat to slide in on the opposite side of the booth.

 

Rin sent him a pointed look before smiling up at the hostess, “He’ll take a beer too.”

 

Kakashi made to contest her but could only sigh. He couldn’t return to work with alcohol in his system, but it’d be for the best. It’d help him unwind and besides, he could always figure out when the Phantom Thief was going to hit bright and early tomorrow morning, as they certainly weren’t going to be tonight with all of the added security.

 

“I guess I’ll have a beer then.”

 

“Alright. Domestic or import?”

 

“Domestic’s fine.”

 

The hostess promptly checked their IDs and ambled off to bring them their drinks.

 

“I hope this inspires you to sleep in your apartment for once,” Rin said once they were alone again.

 

Kakashi chuckled in good spirit. “Perhaps, although I may go back and sleep in my office just to spite you.”

 

“As a doctor, that can't be too good on your back,” she commented.

 

“Probably not, but…” He paused, leaving off in the middle of his sentence. If anyone knew what the ‘but’ was, it was Rin. She was there when his choice of career was made for him; it was the same thing that convinced Rin to take hers.

 

Rin frowned worriedly at him and settled a hand over his. “Kakashi, no matter what the reason, I don’t think Obito would want you to work yourself to death over this. Your entire department is working on this case; you can’t lead them if you keep doing this to yourself.”

 

As always, she was right. Rin was always right and he told her just as much.

 

“Then maybe you should take my advice for once, Ba-ka-ka-shi.” She sent him a friendly smile, as she playfully drew out the ridiculous nickname their late, childhood friend had coined.

 

“Maa, maybe I should.”

 

Not long after that, the hostess had returned with their drinks and they had their orders taken. The smell of cooking meat was mouthwatering as the two of them cooked the thin cuts of bulgogi over the grill built into the table. The two of them had been talking for a while at that point, steering away from work and into their personal lives or funny stories from around the workplace.

 

“Ah, but you know Naruto,” Rin said as she turned a piece of sizzling meat on the grill and looked back up at Kakashi, “as soon as Sasuke left, he lost his mind and started pouting over it!”

 

“Sounds like him,” Kakashi responded.

 

“Oh definitely. So that’s when I suggested he use the flowers that Kabuto sent me; killing two birds with one stone. Got rid of the source of my allergies and saved the entire station from Naruto’s moping.” She held up a finger for each, respectively. “I was told by the girls that I was a hero.”

 

“I’d say so too,” Kakashi commented, picking at the steamed eggplant in front of him as he waited for the meat to cook.

 

Rin sent him a broad grin and picked the meat off the grill, divvying it up between Kakashi and herself. “It was a great day for me, but I still don’t get why a guy I _just met_ for one date was intent on sending me flowers.”

 

Kakashi coupled a bit of meat with eggplant before pausing and sending Rin a curious look. “Was this the same guy you called me to ‘rescue you’ from?”

 

“The very same,” Rin replied, a hand somewhat-politely covering her mouth as she answered, swallowing her mouthful.

 

“I see.”

 

“I told you how that went, didn’t I? And he asked the weirdest questions too!” She exclaimed, exasperatedly motioning with her hands to emphasize her plight. “Just because I have a Ph.D. in Forensic Science doesn’t mean I want to answer all of your graphic, gory questions. That goes doubly -- no, _triply_ \-- for a first date!”

 

“Maa, maa. I hear you.”

 

Rin calmed down after venting and tapped her fingers on the table thoughtfully. “You know, it’s a real shame though.”

 

“What is?” Kakashi asked curiously. “Did you want to go on another date with your probable sociopath?”

 

“Oh god, no!”

 

He covered up his smirk by taking a sip of his drink. Kakashi delighted in teasing his friends.

 

“No. I meant that it’s a shame I won’t have a date for this weekend.” She moved around the food on her plate. “I was invited to a charity gala a few months ago and I thought I’d be going with _you know…_ but I guess I’ll just be going single and ready to mingle. It’s too late to cancel now anyhow.”

 

“That's a real shame. Maybe you can have Tenzou go with you?” Kakashi put in, earning him an unimpressed scoff.

 

“Don’t even say that. I already told you, 'he’s not my type',” she muttered. Her flushed, pink-dusted cheeks told a different story, however, and Kakashi would like to think that it wasn’t just the alcohol.

 

“That doesn’t mean I believe you. Where’s this gala anyhow? I haven’t heard you mention it before.”

 

“Well, I was trying to surprise my ex with it, but I guess I could take you as my date -- that is, if you aren’t busy with the case,” she said with a wink.

 

Kakashi hummed mirthfully. “You could. Are your parents going to be there too? Because I remember the last time I came to one of those events with you, your mother asked why I hadn’t proposed to you already.”

 

Rin hesitated, her smile fading away. “She used to ask Obito that all the time too -- from the moment she first met him when we were four, I think.”

 

Kakashi’s humor dissipated immediately.

 

“It’s pretty funny now,” Rin added, breaking the silence. “Everything about him was so… _not_ what everyone else in my family is or his. And yet, she thought he was a good match for me. Same goes for you now, but I guess I’ll have to go by myself and listen to a boring speech about the ‘Founding Fathers’ and why I should donate my money to them while my mother and father ask me why I’m 34 without the packaged deal of a husband and two and a half kids.”

 

“Sounds like a blast,” Kakashi commented dryly.

 

“Doesn’t it?”

 

Kakashi was about to say more when something occurred to him. “Did you say ‘the Founding Fathers’?”

 

“Y-Yeah. Why?”

 

Silence passed between them until Rin dropped her chopsticks and set her elbows on the table, holding her face in her hands. “Oh my god… We’re so blind!” Kakashi had to agree.

 

“Well," he began, picking up another piece of cooked meat with his chopsticks before raising it to his mouth, "at least we know when he'll strike next.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both sides push their plans into position.

“I didn’t think anyone would manage to earn this achievement, but congratulations. You are the dumbest criminal on the face of the earth,” a woman in a dusky, gray pantsuit said, her amber eyes piercing into the recipient as she held her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes alone could have killed a man, but her looks altogether would have obliterated them while she stood in the doorway, glaring and sucking in on her labret piercing, twisting it impatiently. 

 

“You were supposed to get the diamond and get out and you couldn’t even do that?” She continued with a wave of her hand. “Instead, you leave another note for your…  _ whatever he is.  _ Just what am I supposed to tell our client?”

 

The man inside the room ruffled his hair and shrugged casually. “It couldn’t be helped.”

 

“Of course it could have.”

 

“Just hang on, Konan. There’s a method to my madness.”

 

“I clearly doubt that,” and her expression said just that.

 

“I know, but this works in our favor,” the man explained. “People  _ know _ about us by now and our work as ‘The Phantom Thief’, right?”

 

“Obviously. You made sure of that,” Konan replied.

 

“Of course,” the man said with a grin, “which is beneficial to us. You see, every place ‘The Phantom Thief’ strikes is covered by the news and with a high-profile artifact like the diamond, the news will be broadcast internationally. You know what that means?”

 

“I know you’re going to tell me,” she gritted out, sending him a spiteful, sarcastic smile, blinking her eyes in her overall annoyance.

 

“It means there’ll be more competition for the damn thing and more competition equals more money for us!”

 

Konan clicked her tongue. “And here I thought you were completely stupid. But did you consider that this also means we’ll have to compete with the police and special police even more now that they know what our aim is.”

 

“The thought crossed my mind, but has my spark ever failed us before?” The man asked smugly.

 

“Even the best of us have to slip up sometime,” Konan responded, her eyes just as deadly as before.

 

“The best of  _ you. _ I -- on the other hand -- am superior to you and your organization in every way.”

 

Konan stared at him incredulously until her lips pressed in a thin, tight line. Her vibrant, indigo-blue hair that had been left out of the high bun that it was held in began to rustle despite there being no breeze running through the building. “I will not allow you to mock me or the Akatsuki in front of me!” She announced sharply. 

 

The man stayed silent, his face covered by the grim, plan mask that guarded his features as he kept the woman’s gaze whilst perched on the edge of their leader’s desk. A notepad on the top flew open, pages flipping wildly and the energy in the air quickly grew hostile.

 

“Konan, Tobi, that’s enough,” the leader of the organization said, speaking up at last. The miasma that had filled the room cleared almost immediately and the notepad on the desk flipped closed as though nothing had occurred at all.

 

The leader tapped his fingers on the desk thoughtfully as his eerie, lavender eyes roved between the two of them. “I don’t quite care who said what or who did what, but I will not allow for the two of you to make the Akatsuki into a joke.” His eyes landed on Tobi. “This goes without saying that any attempt to out our organization or its members will be quashed immediately and the perpetrator of the offense punished as such. Do I make myself clear?”

 

He was answered with a soft ‘yes’.

 

“I said, ‘Do I make myself  _ clear?’” _ He repeated, narrowing his eyes at his masked subordinate.

 

“Crystal.”

 

“Then you both will proceed with further preparations to obtain the diamond and I’ll contact the interested parties about the sale,” the leader ordered, before turning his chair to face the wide window overlooking the bustling city down below. “In the meantime, leave me. I have other business to take care of other than listening to your incessant bickering.”

 

Konan gave a brief nod and left while Tobi lingered, still on the edge of the desk, his head cocked to stare at the high back of the chair his leader sat in. 

 

“That wasn’t a request.”

 

“Yes, yes. I understand, but I was wondering if perhaps we could renegotiate that contract of ours,” Tobi calmly pressed, his body tense as a coil.

 

“We’ll discuss it later. Now leave me,” the orange-haired man ordered once more, finally forcing the masked man to take heed.

 

“Of course, Pein. I wouldn’t want to anger our noble leader,” the masked man responded snidely before disappearing entirely.

 

“If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself,” Pein grumbled to an empty room, before exhausting a long-suffering sigh and leaned back more comfortably in his chair and let his eyes fall shut. Then, he went still, the color fading from his skin as even his shallow breathing found its end. 

 

* * *

* * *

 

Bright and early that morning, before the sun could rise in the sky, Kakashi came back into work, his mission cut out for him and part of a plan formed as to apprehend their criminal friend. Naturally, he was the first one to arrive, or so he thought. At his own desk, Tenzou was lying with his head in hands, breathing steadily. It wasn’t uncommon for him since he was a workaholic like Kakashi himself, but they had things to do this morning.

 

Kakashi rapt his knuckles against the surface he lay upon loudly, startingly him.

 

“Ah, Kakashi…? I mean, Captain!” Tenzou cried, correcting himself and coming to the realization of who it was that woke him. He squinted at him for a moment, as though still bleary. “What time is it?” he grunted. “I tried calling you to tell you about what the electric company said.”

 

Kakashi considered that for a moment before offering a mirthless chuckle. “Sorry, Tenzou. I left my phone in the office last night.”

 

“Figures,” Tenzou sighed.

 

“The electric company? What did they say?” Kakashi asked, looking over the state of Yamato’s desk, illuminated by the harsh light of a desk lamp and the glow of the monitor. 

 

“One of the powerlines to the building were cut rather than the box simply turned off, but they’ll have power restored to the museum later today.”

 

That was troubling. Not once had the Phantom Thief done something like this and it was troubling. He’s turned off the power before and skitted past security cameras with ease even with active security and guards, but never before had he cut the power to any of the victims of his heists. It made him wonder just what the thief was planning, and it  _ worried him. _

 

“Captain, I fear this may just be a copycat crime,” Tenzou said beside him with a deep frown.

 

Kakashi shook his head. “No, it’s not a copycat, but this does make me wonder just what they’re planning.”

 

“How do you know? Is there some clue I’m missing?” Tenzou asked curiously.

 

“The note; it smelled like the other ones the thief has left,” Kakashi explained, revealing what he had discerned with his canid spark. 

 

“If you’re sure.”

 

“I am. By the way, we have a lot of work to do today,” Kakashi announced with a grin.

 

“Oh?”

 

“We’ve discovered when the thief will make an attempt to steal the ‘Fire Shadow’, so rally your team together. It’s time to put an end to this ‘Phantom Thief’ business.”

 

“Right away, sir!” Tenzou cried and with a sudden burst of energy, he picked up his phone to get started.

 

Not too long after, the floor was full of agents coming up with ideas to detain the Phantom Thief. Just like the day before it was a madhouse, although it was fairly typical for that to happen when most of your team were twenty-somethings fresh out of the academy. 

 

Sasuke and Naruto were arguing about the way one of them said something to vaguely insult the other. Sakura managed to get into it with them at some point, but Kakashi hadn’t paid attention as to how or why. Sai was lounging in his chair, his feet crossed on top of his desk as he drew an unflattering sketch of the three of them tearing into each other. Meanwhile, Yamato was nowhere to be seen and Gai’s team just watched incredulously with a variety of moods on each of their faces. Neji had his arms crossed over his chest as he stared straight ahead at the discord before him, Tenten pouted, her brows furrowed as she looked on in distaste, while Lee watched with zeal, furiously taking down notes with an occasional nod of his head. 

 

“The flames of youth burn brightly today, eh, Kakashi?” Gai said with an uncharacteristically apologetic chuckle.

 

“It seems that way,” Kakashi agreed, noticing the arguing had yet to stop. “Where’d Tenzou head off to?”

 

“Tenzou? Hmm…” Gai tapped his chin for a moment until he recalled, “He said he needed to run an errand.”

 

“I see.” Unfortunately, that meant Kakashi would have to step in and stop them.

 

“Alright you three,” Kakashi began, trying to placate them, “let’s settle down and stop fighting. There’s work to be done.” 

 

Predictably, he was ignored.

 

“Everyone!” Guy announced loudly, drawing all the younger agents’ attention. “We have much to do, so let’s take a moment and save that youthful energy for later!” 

 

“There’s no way I’m letting Sasuke get away with what he said!” Naruto cried.

 

“With what ‘I’ said? What about you, idiot? You’re the one that started this!” Sasuke retorted venomously. 

 

Sakura leapt back into action as well. “You two make me so angry! Why can’t you just shut up and listen when our boss tells you to?” 

 

And just like that, the brief reverie was broken. 

 

“That didn’t last long,” Tenten commented with a sigh, Neji shaking his head beside her.

 

The skirmish gradually grew louder until they were silenced by a yell, “All of you,  _ shut the hell up!” _

 

It came from further back in the room where a tall agent with two long scars marring his face stood, one down the left side and bisecting his lips and another over his right cheekbone. He strode up to the front of the room, his mood visibly soured in just the attire you’d expect of an agent or a stereotypical detective; it consisted of a charcoal-gray suit and a crisp, smoky-gray dress shirt with a starched collar. His name was Ibiki Morino, a Senior Agent and a man known for being without nonsense.

 

“What the hell is wrong with you three?” He snapped.

 

“Well, you see--” Naruto began but was quickly cut off from speaking.

 

“Don’t say another word, Uzumaki,” Ibiki snarled and Naruto clammed up right away with a frantic nod. “You three were told by not one but  _ two _ of your superiors to put a lid on it, something they shouldn’t have had to do in the first place!”

 

Naruto grimaced and winced, looking away, Sasuke following suit, while Sakura looked sick to her stomach over the situation, glancing down at her feet. 

 

“This isn’t primary school and yet all three of you choose to behave like children. You should all be ashamed of yourselves,” Ibiki continued, looking over the three of them. “I don’t think any of you are cut out for this line of work if that’s how you’re going to act.”

 

“But, sir--” Sakura began, but hesitated and clamped her mouth shut as the man sent her an intimidating glare. Oh well, it was about time for Kakashi to step back in anyhow. Hopefully, it’d scare them straight for a few weeks at the very least. 

 

“Thank you, Agent Morino. I think they’ve had enough,” Kakashi offered.

 

Ibiki nodded his direction, “Understood.” Then for good measure, he sent one last icy stare to the collective troublemakers and proceeded to make his way back to his desk to work on whittling down his stack of paperwork. 

 

Kakashi cracked a smile as Ibiki’s team -- Anko, Genma, Raidou, and Iwashi -- hustled to get back to work before Ibiki could catch them goofing off or whatever it was they were doing. It was pretty humorous to watch and Kakashi was glad he had picked Ibiki to keep the four of them in-line. 

 

Just as everything had settled down, Rin entered the room with a bright, honest grin. “Good morning, everyone. How would you like to be treated to some coffee?” She held a small carrier in one hand and a small, white paper bag in the other.

 

Kakashi cocked his head curiously. “I don’t think there’s enough there for everyone, but I’ll accept your offer.”

 

“Tenzou’s on his way up with the rest,” Rin said. “He insisted on carrying most of it up by himself.”

 

“Is that right?”

 

As if on cue, Tenzou stumbled in with two boxes of donuts and two large drink carriers, his fingers looped through the handles of each as he cautiously entered. 

 

“Here, my friend! Let me help you with that!” Guy offered quickly. 

 

“No, no. I got it. It’s just… a little awkward, that’s all,” Tenzou assured with a grunt.

 

“At least let someone take the donuts off your hands,” Tenten said, cringing for Yamato’s sake. 

 

In the end, he let up and allowed it. “Well, alright. Thank you, Guy.” 

 

“My pleasure!” Guy replied with his signature ‘nice guy’ smile. 

 

The three of them set out everything on a spare table for just such an occasion and Rin thanked Tenzou for his help before proceeding to pass out the drinks for everyone. During the renewed -- but thankfully more controlled -- chaos, Kakashi couldn’t help but to overhear Raidou inform Genma and Anko that ‘it’ was around six minutes. The ‘it’ being the time it took Ibiki to snap at the three younger agents. Genma agonized and an exchange of money was made to the victorious Anko who graciously pocketed it. 

 

The younger agents were happily milling around the food as well, and Agent Lee had at some point begun thanking Rin with tears in his eyes. Even Ibiki wasn’t immune to the promise of caffeine and sweets.

 

“Ah, here, Captain,” Tenzou murmured, handing Kakashi a coffee in a warm paper cup with a lid, and true to Rin’s standard of keeping things organized and in order, it was marked with his name scribbled on it. 

 

Kakashi accepted it and whispered softly, unheard by anyone else in the office, “An errand, Tenzou?” Then as he awaited Tenzou’s flustered response, he took a drink from the warm mixture of coffee, sugar, and cream.

 

“Um… yes. Rin-- I mean, Doctor Nohara, I uh, saw her in the parking lot and went down to help her,” Tenzou offered, his cheeks tinting a powdery pink just as Kakashi anticipated they would.

 

“Maa, I see,” Kakashi responded, tilting his head toward the window near Tenzou’s desk, daylight just now peeking up from beyond the horizon and between the taller buildings of Konohagakure. “But you should know that the parking garage is on the other side of the building.”

 

Tenzou cringed and rubbed the back of his head nervously. “Well, maybe she sent me a text and asked me to?”

 

“Mm, that sounds about right.” Kakashi took another sip of his coffee to conceal his smile. Those two weren’t subtle about it at all. “Why don’t you ask her out already and get it over with?”

 

Taken aback, Tenzou’s mouth gaped open like a fish for a moment before he shook his head and reverted back to his typical self. “I don’t know what you mean, Captain,” he grumbled and turned to address the rest of the room. “Everyone, hurry and get settled down, the Captain has something to say.”

 

Kakashi chuckled as Tenzou gave him the floor and the space he needed. “Thank you all for coming in on-time this morning and I hope you’re all ready to hear the news you’ve been waiting for.”

 

“Are we all getting our holiday bonuses early this year?” Anko teased, causing most of the other agents to laugh.

 

“Sorry, but no. It’s not quite that exciting, but we have pinpointed when and where our friend, the self-titled ‘Phantom Thief’ will strike next and we’ve devised a plan to catch him in the act.”

 

“Finally!” Naruto barked, still chewing through a donut. “I can’t wait to see that bastard behind bars, believe it!”

 

“Neither can the rest of us, so pay attention. We’re going to set a layout and go over the plans again tomorrow when we’re preparing to spring the trap, so let’s try to get this right the first time. We only have 14 hours left until the thief strikes and this may be our only shot to put him behind bars. What do you all say?”

 

Practically the entire office cheered and with all the trouble the Phantom Thief had caused them, Kakashi couldn’t blame them. He was definitely ready to catch this guy and end his losing streak. It was time for a win and he was determined to get it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenzou puts his own guard up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea how this pairing is going or if you guys are enjoying it, but just let me know what you think I guess.

“Good afternoon, Naruto-kun, Yamato-san!” A dark-haired man in a Konoha Police Force uniform waved as they approached from behind the police line. He regarded them with two ruby-red eyes and a grin that easily rivaled Naruto’s in its sunny disposition.

 

“Yo, Shisui!” Naruto greeted back just as enthused, but Sasuke simply scoffed and scowled his direction.

 

“What about me?” Sasuke grumbled, obviously annoyed.

 

“You’re special, Sasuke. You get your own custom, Shisui-style greeting,” the officer chuckled and ruffled Sasuke’s dark hair as he skittered away to fix it. Inevitably, Naruto laughed at him and teased him for it and Tenzou could only massage his aching temples and sigh. It was going to be a long morning.

 

“Shisui, I’d appreciate if you didn’t do that again. These two can’t seem to focus on anything today,” Tenzou said, making his best attempt to keep the silent pleading out of his voice.

 

Shisui chuckled sheepishly. “Sorry, Yamato-san. I’ll try to behave myself.”

 

“That’s all I can ask for.” He proceeded to duck under the bright yellow tape, following Naruto and Sasuke. “Has there been any suspicious activity while we’ve been away?” he asked.

 

“Not that I’ve seen so far,” Shisui answered with a nod. “But the curator is getting a bit restless with the attempted theft and the fact he’s losing money in all of this. I don’t think that party or ball or whatever is really helping it much either.”

 

That was understandable. The museum had been closed for a day and a half now, and that was a day and a half without any income regardless of all of its current publicity.

 

“We’ll talk to him,” Tenzou assured him. 

 

“Then I wish you luck! He’s in a terrible mood right now, as far as I can tell.”

 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” With a half-turn, he gestured for agents Uzumaki and Uchiha to follow him but Naruto seemed too busy to take much note of it as he stood in conversation with a man around Tenzou’s own age with bright red hair. 

 

“Naruto!” He called the blond, managing to get the blond’s attention. 

 

Naruto paused and turned to the others, “Sorry, ‘bout that.”

 

“Come on, dweeb we have work to do,” Sasuke snorted, his dark eyes narrowed at the scrawny, older man behind the police line.

 

“Hey, don’t be rude, asshole!” He gestured at the redhead and exclaimed, “This is my cousin Nagato! I haven’t seen him in ages, y’know!”

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” ‘Nagato’ greeted politely.

 

Sasuke regarded the man with a curt nod, and then back to Naruto. “Wrap it up already,” he grumbled carrying on his way into the museum. 

 

“All right, all right! Geez!” Naruto huffed before muttering something under his breath to Nagato, making the redheaded man chuckle. 

 

Their conversation ended soon after, but not before Nagato patted him on the shoulder and said his goodbyes. There was something that caught Tenzou’s attention, however, but he wasn’t sure what it was. He turned to get a gauge on whether Shisui caught it with his spark since Sasuke had already entered the building, but the officer was looking down at his phone, his fingers tapping on the surface.

 

“Shisui?” Tenzou whispered to get his attention.

 

“Hm? What’s up?” 

 

“Did you notice anything strange about that guy? The one that Naruto claimed was his cousin?”

 

Shisui looked up immediately and focused on the man’s retreating back, tilting his head curiously before he made his reply. “Sorry, Yamato-san, but if there was anything to notice, I didn’t get a chance to. I could keep an eye out for him and let my relief know when they get here, if you want.”

 

“It’s… It’s fine. Thanks anyway.”

 

“Anytime. Just let me know if I can help with anything else.”

 

Tenzou nodded politely, pressing his lips in a thin, tight line. He was certain that there was something sinister about Naruto’s supposed cousin, but all he could do now was contemplate and stay on his toes. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be a next time, because if there was his senpai -- or rather  _ Captain --  _ would never let him hear the end of it, even if only teasingly.

 

“Ah, Tenzou?” A gentle, yet flustered voice called to him, shaking him from his demure thoughts. He spotted the petite Doctor Nohara heading up the steps with a box that seemed almost oversized compared to her. She huffed in either annoyance or fatigue, bristling her bangs in a breath puff of whispy breath. “Do you think you or Agent Uzumaki could give me a hand with this, please?”

 

“Of course!” And that was all it took as he rushed to her side and took the box off her hands. 

 

Rin adjusted the hefty bag over her shoulder and they fell into step together. She practically beamed once she was relieved of the box and thanked him pleasantly. It did seem a little heavy as well as bulky, but he didn’t mind it. 

 

“It’s no problem at all, Doctor,” he offered up bashfully after carefully swallowing any of the more unimportant things his malfunctioning mind suggested at the moment. He’d never admit it, but it was that lovely smile and Rin’s pleasant poise that drew him to her in the first place. She didn’t have the same air that the Captain did, no, not at all. She was warm and generous where his senpai was aloof and withdrawn, but that’s not to say that he didn’t enjoy working with the Captain. He did, but lately, he was more drawn to Rin than before. Perhaps it was because he too was single and found her needing a hand here and there just as his senpai did. 

 

“I’m glad I was able to snag you first then because I have a little favor to ask of you inside.”

 

“Oh? What kind of favor?” He couldn’t recall anything during the briefing, but maybe he had missed it in all of the excitement or in his brooding after his team had caused such a mess that morning. Regardless of the nature of said ‘favor,’ his heart was already pounding and threatening to burst forth from his chest as though to offer itself up to her since the rest of him had yet to find the courage. 

 

“You’ll see in a minute or so. In fact, I think it might be more of a fun one,” she hinted with a playful chuckle. It was painfully cute and Tenzou could only silently nod. “Either way, we better hurry and get this done so we don’t waste any more of what precious time we have.”

 

“Right.” And the two entered the building, following the other two agents to get started with their task. Hopefully, their bait was still good enough for the trap they had in mind. 

 

Tenzou crossed his fingers as they headed toward the room housing the brilliantly shimmering jewel that they were meant to protect while Naruto and Sasuke milled about taking care of their own assignments. The integrity of their department was riding on this and possibly each of their careers. There was no more time to lose and Rin and the Captain had his full trust in them.

 

“Not in there, Tenzou,” Rin whispered and steered him down a different hall. 

 

That raised a few questions, but he followed nonetheless and before he could ask, Rin tapped her lips with a silencing finger. 

 

“I’ll tell you when we get there. I just hope my sinuses can hold out for a while.”

 

“Sinuses?” 

 

“You’ll see. You’ll see, Tenzou.”

 

Once again, he nodded along and let her lead the way. She knew what was best and he was curious to see what she had planned. All he could do was be content he was along for the ride. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Phantom is set to arrive and Kakashi and his team and prepared to receive him.

Tonight was the night; either Kakashi and his team would have the Phantom Thief in their grasp, or the criminal would manage to pull the wool over their eyes once more and do as he pleased. There could be no other outcome, at least, not in his mind. This was the moment he had been waiting for most of his career and the clock was ticking. All of his agents were in position and prepared to do whatever it took to take him down before he could get his grubby hands on their country’s greatest treasure.

Ibiki’s team were checking over each guest from afar, looking through their backgrounds and monitoring every moment of the event through the many security cameras both belonging to the museum and those that they had covertly placed just to catch the thief in the act. 

Gai’s team were outside patrolling the building and keeping it secure on top of the already vast security outside composed of Konoha law enforcement as well as event security. It was hectic as could be, especially when one was as terrible with faces as Gai was, but Kakashi was confident that if anyone made an attempt to break into the building from the outside -- as his mark was prone to doing -- Gai’s team would catch them in the act. Because what Gai lacked in subtly and memory, he made up for in strength, skill, and of course just being a swell guy in general.

Yamato’s team, however, were all posted inside either as a joined force with the security or disguised as part of the waitstaff to get closer to the patrons in the case that the thief was among them. 

It wasn’t very likely that the thief would be in disguise apart from their standard mask and cloak since it clashed with their tendency to make grand entrances, but stranger things had happened. Besides, Kakashi was confident that he was. The Phantom Thief had been taunting the Captain specifically. He wanted to be seen by him and if Kakashi was in disguise, then he would have to watch and wait to make his move and strike. Kakashi was hoping to make that more difficult for him by adorning his own disguise, going so far as to create his own alias to go with his appearance. 

Kakashi had made the arrangements with Rin the night before, although the costume and alias were hastily put together. Thankfully, their friendship gave him some connections to give him an edge and where Kakashi would have stood amongst the gala patrons now stood Sukea Nohara, a distant relative of the prolific family of doctors from outside the city and a black sheep with a fascination for photography, hoping to take a few well-placed shots for his amateur portfolio. 

Sukea’s walnut-brown hair concealed his moonlight-silver perfectly well and with the added tuxedo and stark lack of a mask or scarf, he was unrecognizable by most. He wasn’t the perfect man to infiltrate the crowd of high-standing and well-off doctors, lawyers, and politicians (since he was outside of their social class) but nothing was without flaw and with him there as Rin’s ‘plus one’ he would be inconspicuous to most outsiders anyhow. 

All three of Kakashi’s teams acted as a well-oiled machine, doing just as Kakashi had expected in such a situation. They had plenty of practice in this scenario and even Naruto was on his best behavior. 

Everything seemed to be running smoothly and it unsettled Kakashi. It had already been over two hours by that point and no one had tried anything up to that point. Until Kakashi heard Ibiki speak up on the radio Kakashi had planted in his ear.

“The camera in the south quadrant has picked up on something.”

“What is it?” Tenzou.

“The motion sensor has been activated, but we can’t seem to spot anything as of yet.”

“On it!” Tenzou replied promptly. “Agent Yamanaka and I will check it out.”

Kakashi’s anxiety spiked immediately, but he didn’t think it was the work of the Phantom Thief. It wasn’t as dramatic or hyped up as he would have likened and there were plenty of people to watch him make his grand entrance. His ego wouldn’t allow him to sneak around like that.

Sure enough, a few minutes later Agent Yamanaka called in. “False alarm. It’s not the thief, but it’s still a nuisance.” 

Kakashi scoffed as he pictured the smug expression on Sai’s face as the ‘nuisance’ got into an uproar at the end of that sentence before the frequency was silent once more. Nothing else seemed to happen for a while after that. He took an occasional picture here and there while high-classed patrons engaged in conversations around him, rarely conversing with them to keep up his air of disguise until Rin approached him as he focused his camera on another of many characters in the crowd.

“Has anything exciting happened yet?” She asked brightly, coming further into his periphery. 

“Not quite, but Tenzou did manage to catch someone in the act,” he replied as the shutter of his camera snapped shut and he was finally able to get a glimpse of his friend. She wore a dusky, rose dress that came to her calves in fine silk with off-the-shoulder bands, all laced with lifelike vines of shimmering champagne with buds of roses on the brink of blooming in their realism that increased her elegance. Her earrings matched the vines yet held openly bloomed wild roses of the same color. She appeared as though she had walked from an illustrious banquet with the fey, her illusionary spark would have that effect, however, she did have another accessory that didn’t quite match the others nor her dress. 

“Oh? How did that go?” 

“They have it under control for now,” his keen eyes flitted down to the adornment over her chest. “That’s a nice necklace,” he commented.

Rin without thinking made to touch it but stopped, letting her hand fall before clasping both of them together. “Thank you. Tenzou designed it.”

Ah, that made sense. In a world full of extraordinary people with abilities beyond nature’s bounds, Kakashi’s team had several extraordinary spark-users of their own. 

The necklace was woven with living tendrils of spring-green vines over roots threaded by small, white flowers that seemed to sparkle in the light. They ran down the length of it, ending in a large, vibrant blue of a five-pointed flower joined by a single, black hollyhock bloom on either side over her chest. 

He stared at it for a long moment before chuckling in amusement. It opened the door for an opportunity.

“Ah, is Tenzou giving you gifts now?” he asked.

Rin pouted at him and sent him a look but she couldn’t do anything to hide the way her face bloomed into a color that replicated her dress. Instead, she turned away from him for posterity’s sake. “I told you before, Tenzou isn’t my type.”

“Oh? I must have forgotten, but… it seems to me that you’re both becoming each other’s type rather quickly.”

She didn’t say anything more about it, but her attention wasn’t focused on him. Her gaze was set upon the same conspicuous character he had photographed a few moments prior who he had been keeping in his line of sight throughout their conversation. 

“You noticed him too?” he whispered beside her.

“You mean the _only_ person here with a mask on? Yes,” she responded dryly. 

Kakashi’s lip twitched as he made an attempt not to snort in indignation. She did have a point. “I’m waiting for Agent Morino’s squad to get back to me on an identity before I make a move. If he is our guy, as we suspect, he won’t make an attempt to grab the jewels until he knows I’m here.”

Rin nodded. She knew. The thief wouldn’t have invited him if he planned to sneak out with it otherwise. “Kakashi,” she murmured, “I can’t help but think…” She left words hanging unsaid in the air before clamping her mouth shut and turning back to him. “Sorry. I think I’ll go out and get some air so I don’t end up in the way.”

“Alright.”

“Good luck,” she offered as she padded off through the crowd, turning heads despite her height.

Kakashi swallowed. _‘Good luck’_ indeed. He’d either have to approach the man or he’d approach him and at that point it’d be a game of cat and mouse. He was certain this was his man though. Who else would wear a mask that forced them to stand out like that among a crowd of cops and the entirety of the Spark Division as well as countless politicians and people of power and money. 

He seemed to have finally caught his eye as the man met his with a dark gaze beneath the mask, freezing him in surprise. Dark eyes, not crimson? That couldn’t be his man, but there was something in those eyes that was almost indiscernible with the distance between them. It was promising and seductive and like a trainwreck, he was forced to look on and stare right into them. This man was nothing but trouble at first glance and Kakashi would not be convinced otherwise that this wasn’t the Phantom Thief. It was the first time he had truly taken in what the thief’s eyes said and they spoke tomes and each tome captivated him more than the last. He wanted to gaze into them for ages and pick him apart -- see how he ticked -- and the man before him did the same.

Before he knew it, the man was standing before him. He spoke in a calm, cool voice just as decidedly devilish and cool as his eyes. 

“I can’t help but note that you’re awfully familiar. Would you mind filling in the blanks; have we met before?” Unsurprisingly, he didn’t introduce himself.

Kakashi pressed his lips together before sending him a polite smile. “We might have, but I’m a photographer so we might not have spoken before,” he added a polite smile at the end of his sentence.

“That would make sense, but I don’t recall seeing you at one of these events before either, Mister…?”

“Nohara. Sukea Nohara.”

“Nohara!” He exclaimed, “Like the family of doctors from the Land of Marsh?”

“The very same.”

Again there was a glint of impishness. Just what was he planning? 

“In that case, I must ask you to dance. I wouldn’t want to miss out on courting someone from such a family,” the masked man said in a voice as smooth as silk that revealed nothing. 

He offered Kakashi a hand and despite himself, Kakashi took it, allowing himself to be led to the area where couples in luxurious suits and excessive dresses bound with sparks like Rin’s of a myriad of colors. They all lifted their gazes to them, their lips twisted in disgust although Kakashi’s senses were too focused on the masked man to pick up on whether it was his ill-fitting suit and camera or that at the two of them making their way to dance in the midst of a crowd of ‘monogamous’ rich consisting of male-female husbands and wives, or their mistresses. 

The masked man took the lead as soon as they stood in the middle of them all, taking the stage and stealing all of their attention. If Kakashi could see beneath the mask, he’d imagine he was smirking victoriously. The Phantom Thief would. He wouldn’t hesitate. 

“Did you think you’d be dancing tonight?” the masked man whispered, leading Kakashi in a waltz. It was a relief since he was occupied with searching the crowd for Naruto, Sasuke, or Sakura, or any of the security stationed there. How had they not noticed this guy yet? He’d sent Ibiki a photo and Rin even saw him in person! He should have back-up swarming around him to intercept and arrest this guy.

“To be honest, no, I didn’t,” Kakashi replied calmly and honestly, belying the turmoil that brewed in the pit of his belly. He was overly conscious of the hand on his side and his fingers laced between the black leather of the masked man’s. They were close, too close and it sent a icy chill down his spine, but at the same time, he was comfortable here as though he was familiar with the masked man. He should be at least a little familiar after having chased this man for most of career, but that wasn’t it. It was something else. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

“I see,” he hummed thoughtfully then continued with mirth, “in that case, I’m honored to have this dance.”

Kakashi saw an opportunity. “And who would I be giving this dance to?” 

“To reveal my identity would make my wearing of this mask pointless. You wouldn’t want to drive me to despair like that, would you?”

“Depends on who’s under the mask,” Kakashi retorted. He could practically feel the masked man’s dark stare burrowing into him in response. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” the masked man sneered, vastly uncharacteristic from his behavior moments before. 

He twirled Kakashi in time with the dance before reeling him back in, clamping their fingers together again and squeezing Kakashi’s hand tightly, making him wince, his lead on the floor becoming more aggressive than ever. He had undoubtedly noticed who he was and as the stepped around the floor, focused on each other their conversation was unraveling as quickly as the Phantom Thief’s patience with every twirl and spin. Fittingly, the tempo of the waltz increased in pace.

“So who is behind the mask?” Kakashi asked, fighting through his discomfort.

The Phantom chuckled playfully, although the menace in his gaze and hold hadn’t quite left. “I think you know.”

“If I knew, I would have had you behind bars already,” Kakashi hissed, throwing out some aggression of his own.

“Mmm, yes, you probably would have,” he agreed. “Yet again, the reason for the mask, but wouldn’t you say it’s better this way? Without it, our game of cat and mouse would come to an end much too quickly for my tastes.” 

“I’ve been chasing you for nearly ten years.”

“Then it’s not just a job anymore, but a hobby.”

“I assure you that if I could have brought you to justice before I would have.”

“But you didn’t. On that same note, Kakashi, where is your back-up?”

Shit. He picked up on that. Where was his back up though? He hadn’t seen any of his team and Ibiki never did get back to him.

“Are they busy perhaps? Or maybe they’ve finally realized that this is your obsession just as I have,” the Phantom whispered, taunting him, provoking him to make the first move. It was a scare tactic to convince Kakashi that he had done something to them, obviously, but then again, he could have since no one was coming to his aid. 

“What did you do?” Kakashi snarled, his spark getting the better of him as his upper lip curled and revealed razor-sharp fangs and a low, canid growl. 

“Nothing myself, but say, Kakashi, have you ever watched ‘The Phantom of the Opera’?”

Kakashi didn’t answer to that. He was far too busy getting his powers back under control and devising a plan to take on the Phantom before him.

“Come now, Kakashi, don’t you want to have a friendly chat?”

“Not particularly,” he responded finally, another snarl laced into his words like sickly cyanide. 

“That’s a pity, but I suppose I can share regardless. _‘The Opera Ghost’_ was a simple man, a recluse who wanted one thing above all others, and that was the voice of the lovely ‘Christine’ so that he could covet her to himself. I am the very same.” 

“A madman?”

The Phantom laughed warmly, humorously, before responding, “Why would you think so lowly of me? But no, I was angling toward ‘covetous’.”

“I won’t let you take the jewels.”

“You won’t, but I’ll gladly take them.”

“How?”

“What else can you recall of that play, _Bakakashi?”_

Why there were several things that he could recall. The Phantom's obsession with the lead and the Phantom’s masked, disfigured appearance, among other things. But also a fond, childhood memory. Three children sat looking up at a stage from afar, watching quietly as music and song filled a theater so beautifully. Beside him sat Rin, his one of his oldest friends and on her other side, a dark-haired boy with a too-loud voice and a ceaseless amount of childish wonder. He had been enamored with the play and remarkably quiet despite all of his prior complaints that day. _“This suit is too itch!.” “Do I really have to go watch some girly play?” “Plays are so boring!”_

No. It can't be. It couldn’t be.

_**“You?**_ But-” 

“Oh, so you finally realized it then?”

There was only one person who had ever called him by that name, but he was dead. How? 

“I’m afraid the night is short and I haven’t got much time to gossip much more. But it was fun to become acquainted with you again.” He sent Kakashi down in a final dip, purring victoriously, but Kakashi wouldn’t let him get the last laugh. 

“I won’t let you get away with the jewels,” Kakashi hissed and without a moment’s hesitation, he clasped a glowing, smooth shackle over the masked man’s wrist, cuffing them together with a click.

The masked man eyed it with a concealed expression, his voice revealed nothing. 

“Is that right?”

The lights flicked off, casting them in darkness and sending those around them into a flurry of madness and shock.

“Although this is a hobby of yours -- and mine by extent -- you seem to forget what I excel in. The world is my playground, Kakashi, you are merely an obstacle, easily traversed and trampled into place. I am this world’s master and I’ll do as I please.” From seemingly nowhere, he uncovered a clear, crystalline orb with swirls of glowing orange like an ethereal flame. 

He sent the orb levitating upward, setting his face in a gruesome light, “And with this, you’ll be put in your place once more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I didn't quite finish this, but I have a few more chapters to go that are nearly done. Might also do some editing and polishing up after this too.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenzou gets a bad feeling and Rin points out the reason why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may actually finish this. Three cheers for the first time I've written in nearly a month! Whoot whoot what!

“Let me go, you bastards!”

The captive man was vile and spat curse after curse at the two of them. Tenzou could only frown with displeasure. There was no way this man was the Phantom, but there was still something he didn’t like about this whole business.

“Is something wrong, sir? You look constipated,” Sai commented, sending Tenzou one of his rather unpleasant grins.

Tenzou shook his head and massaged the bridge of his nose. “Just call it in, Yamanaka.”

“Right away.” He pressed the button on his headset and made his report. “False alarm. It’s not the thief, but it’s still a nuisance.”

Their captive narrowed his violet eyes at him and snarled, his rage and hatred renewed, shouting expletives at the two of them. It passed by in a blur to Tenzou as he made his best attempt to block it out. The man was properly detained with his hands zip-tied behind him and he didn’t seem to have a notable spark. He was pressed like any number of freelance photographers outside, waiting to see how tonight’s events played out, in a hoodie jacket unzipped to expose a portion of his chest and a silver necklace -- that seemed to give Tenzou the impression that it was a type of rosary -- paired with well-worn jeans.

Tenzou decided to make an attempt to interrogate him while they were away from the rest of the goings-on, but all he got were more swears and threats.

“I’ve heard that swearing is a sign that one’s bereft of wit,” Sai commented after the latest failure with another fake smile directed at their captive.

“What the hell does that mean?” the man demanded, just as hotheaded as ever.

“Yamanaka, please don’t instigate anything,” Tenzou advised. It was a moot point, however, the captive had already made up his mind to start yowling and yelling all over again. It was at times like that that Tenzou considered himself cursed.

“Sorry, sir,” Sai apologized, “I’ll try to be quieter next time.”

Tenzou released a long-suffering sigh. At least it was something.

“Alright. Please keep an eye on him. I’m going to get back out there.”

Sai nodded obediently, signaling Tenzou to head out of the storage room they had found themselves in. He wanted to backtrack where the man had come in from since he couldn’t get an answer from him. Nor was he going to make another attempt.

Stepping out the door, he pressed his mic and gave an update to his squad, “This is Agent Yamato. I’m checking the southern quadrant for a point of entry. Haruno, you’re in charge of surveying the floor.”

“On it!” Agent Haruno chirped affirmatively.

Of the four team members he was in charge of, Sakura Haruno was the most reliable. She’d make the right decisions out there until he returned to his post. Even after the incident the day prior, he was confident in her, besides, that issue wasn’t even backseat to the issues plaguing him at the moment.

Everything that had happened today was confounding, ever since that redhead showed up. What was his name? _‘Nagato’?_ He didn’t like it and it gave him a bad feeling.

The redhead had to be connected to the Phantom Thief, even if he was Naruto’s cousin. The paparazzi guy in the storage closet could be involved too. He had these elements -- the dots -- but no idea how to connect them.

The jewels.

The Phantom Thief.

The redhead.

The paparazzi intruder.

Just how were they all connected?

The paparazzi couldn’t be the thief, he wasn’t clever enough. The redhead could be. He was suspicious enough and although Shisui didn’t see any foul play when they had first encountered the man, that didn’t mean that there hadn’t been. That had to be it. That had to be the link! But where did the paparazzi fit in? Was he just a pawn? Did the redhead pay him to cause a small-scale distraction?

He reached for his earpiece to press the mic when a jarring, shrill screech sounded through it, it’s high pitch deafening and painful, stopping him in his tracks and making him yelp. It only lasted a few seconds though, but from the reaction of the others, he wasn’t the only one that had experienced the interruption.

“What the hell was that?”

“Did anyone else just hear that?”

“Yeah. Naruto, what did you just do?”

“Nothing, teme! Stop blamin’ me for stuff!”

“My youthful companions, I’m sure we can easily use this time to figure this out rather than fight amongst our comrades,” Gai interjected in an attempt to diffuse the situation.

“Tch…”

Naruto grumbled something offensive into his receiver directed at Sasuke.

“Will you two knock it off,” Tenzou ordered, jumping into the mix. “I’m sure there’s a perfectly good non-Naruto related explanation for this. Agent Morino?”

The air was dead and he went without an answer.

He tried again. “Agent Morino?”

Still nothing.

“Captain, we have a situation. Please respond.”

Like with Ibiki, there was no response. Apparently, their situation had gotten a lot worse; they were already in the presence of the Phantom Thief.

 _‘Damn it! I should have acted as soon as that guy got it. He had to have been a distraction!’_ Tenzou thought to himself and began racing down the halls to reach the rest of his squadron.

“Haruno! Maito!” He cried into his earpiece again, “the thief is inside the building! Activate security protocol!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Gladly, my friend!”

Then a strange sound broke through.

_**Brrzt!** _

_**Brrzzzzzzzzzzzt!** _

_“Hi, welcome to Shinobi Burger, what can I get for you today?”_ An unfamiliar, staticky voice came from the earpiece. 

What the hell? Everyone was dead silent and Tenzou stopped in his tracks. _“‘Shinobi Burger?’”_

_“Yes, sir. Can I take your order?”_

“Uh…”

“Yeah! I’ll have a #3 combo with extra-large fries and a Konoha King-sized strawberry shake!” Naruto chirped happily. 

_“Alright. Will that be all for you today?”_

“I dunno. Hey guys, you want anything?” Naruto asked after having taken the situation as casually as he could, a stark contrast to everyone else's confusion.

“Agent Uzumaki, get off the line,” Tenzou ordered with a long-suffering sigh.

“But I’m hungry and my stomach’s hurtin’! And I gotta eat something when my stomach’s hurtin’!” Naruto’s whining was more like a child’s than the agent that he was, and even more childish than the son of an almost legendary Konoha detective, Minato Namikaze.

“Your face is gonna hurt here in a minute, you idiot!” Sakura snapped at him viciously.

“Sakura-chan, I can’t help it! My stomach just doesn’t like it here!” His stomach growled audibly over the channel. “See what I mean!”

“Agent Uzumaki-”

 **“Get off the line!”** All at once, several of the other agents finished the statement.

“Alright, I’m goin’. I’m goin’!”

_“Are you guys still gonna order something or do I like, need to call the police or something?”_

“We supersede the police!” Tenzou snapped at the voice on the other end of the line, who miraculously left the conversation. He sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose once again. This evening was not going all that well.

He’d have to figure something else out. They were cut off from the Captain and the team using the surveillance cameras, but luckily, with the security protocols in place, they should be able to disable any sparks that would allow anyone to exit the building, although that included themselves. It’d be worth it to catch the thief in such a way though.

“Tenzou!” Dr. Nohara cried, running up the hallway to him, her heels in one of her hands as she held the hem of her dress. She was both stunning and harried, but he didn’t have the gall to stand by and ogle her. 

“Rin! What’s wrong?” His brows creased together. It took a lot to get the doctor rattled and she wouldn’t have reacted like this unless it was important. Regardless of what was wrong, he had already made up his mind that he was willing to follow her to the ends of the Earth.

“It’s Kakashi. He’s with the thief right now!”

“Dear god… That guy… Are you sure?” Trust Kakashi to get into a situation like this and try to handle it by himself. He shook his head before he was overtaken with the resolution to come to his senpai’s side. “We better hurry then.”

Rin nodded and the two of them began racing back down the hallway toward the main part of the museum.

“Hey, guys,” Naruto uttered painfully through the crackle of Tenzou’s earpiece, “I don’t feel so good.”

Tenzou grit his teeth together tightly. Naruto wasn’t normally this troublesome when on a mission of any sort. What was going on with him today? Was his ‘stomachache’ the result of the foul play he had suspected from the redhead earlier that day?

“You’ll be fine,” he encouraged the younger agent. “Just try to hold out for a bit longer.”

“I don’t think I can. _It hurts so bad…”_

“Naruto,” Sakura cut in over the air, “where are you?” A pause. “You know what? Just stay where you are. I’ll come to you.”

It sounded like Agent Haruno had it taken care of, so Tenzou left it at that as both he and Rin burst into the main room, a few patrons glanced their direction with an air of contempt and turned their noses up to continue about their business but they hardly took notice of it. Forcing their way through the crowd, they frantically scanned the room, searching for the Captain and his dubious companion as the Second Waltz played from the orchestra.

“Where the hell is he?” Tenzou hissed his eyes darting this way and that.

His head was beginning to spin with thoughts that his senpai may be no more. He could be gone with the wind like the thief was prone to doing himself or even stuffed somewhere as a lifeless corpse. He didn’t want to think about it anymore. He wanted to find the Captain and wrench him away from that villain before anything could be done. His heart was pounding and he might have been overwhelmed had it not been for the woman beside him.

“There!” Rin cried, pointing to a couple on the dancefloor and squeezing Tenzou’s hand to ground him back down to reality. “That’s Kakashi in his disguise and the thief is there beside him in the mask!”

How did a man in a mask happen to get through such heavy security? Tenzou would have to file it away later. A lot of things were happening all at once and if he didn’t act soon, the Captain could be in danger.

Tenzou slowly made to approach with Rin at his heels, his hand going for the tranquilizer pistol he had holstered in his jacket until Rin set a hand on his shoulder.

“Tenzou,” she whispered as he turned to her, “be careful and _don’t miss.”_

He was certain that he wouldn’t. He was far too keen to put this guy away and to rescue the Captain who looked entranced by the Phantom.

The agent traded carefully, finally pulling his tranquilizer from its holster as he swam through the crowd of oblivious civilians. He could just barely catch the edge of their conversation but the Phantom’s voice was too muffled behind his mask to catch a single word out of him. It didn't matter too much to him at the moment, because whatever they were discussing wasn’t nearly as important as the eyes that fixed him from behind that mask. They glowed a violent, fervent red and transfixed Tenzou in his place. He couldn’t move an inch from where he stood on the floor, which meant that this was as authentic as it got; this was without a doubt the true Phantom Thief.

Tenzou didn’t get a chance to determine what happened first after that, but somehow the Captain didn’t take any notice of it at all. It was like he was caught in a dream; a dream the likes of which only an Uchiha or the most powerful of illusionists could cast.

Without warning, there was a tremendous roar on the other side of the room as a large, fox-like creature began to rampage and whip its nine tails wildly, knocking down people and ornaments alike. People began to run and scream in terror after realizing it and yet the music continued and both the Phantom and Kakashi continued to dance to its siren song. What was happening? Why didn’t he notice? Wouldn’t his senpai’s self-preservation instincts force him out of the spell?

The agent began to wriggle in place and attempted to open his mouth to shout, but nothing happened. He was trapped. He couldn’t even call upon his spark and bid the plants to his aid. He was hopeless. He couldn’t even protect himself and much less the civilians in the room!

“Tenzou!” Rin cried and rushed to his side.

 _‘No! Get out of here! I don't want him to get to you!’_ He wanted to say but alas not a single word came out. 

She was at his side in a heartbeat, her spark alighting her in a static miasma that surrounded her being and made the spring branches on her dress seem to come alive with its might. With a touch, he was able to move again and broken from the spell.

Tenzou took a deep breath and began to call up roots from below until he felt something of a block keeping him from doing so.

“What the-”

It only took him a moment after to remember the anti-spark field that had been generated around the building. It’d prove extremely difficult -- if not impossible -- to draw plants in from the outside. No wonder he couldn’t reach the trees outside. He was powerless here without the help of outside plants around and he could only do so much with his own body. He’d have to conserve what power he had within him because he’d need all of it to contain the enraged, bespelled Naruto.

In a sum, they were trapped like rats here with the Phantom and it was all their own doing. He might have well had already won at this point.

“Rin, I can’t do anything against him and I can’t stop him with Naruto on the loose!”

“You take care of Naruto then; help Sakura and Sasuke contain him. I’ll take care of this guy.” Her voice held a startling tone, and the static around her, the illusionary branches on her dress became elongated and terrifying like the bony clutches of an eldritch evil reaching out. Her eyes shone with determination and an inhuman shade of reflective yellow, ringed by a swollen, fleshy red. She was serious and in such a battle, he’d only get in the way no matter how much he wanted to be the one to protect her. Rin may be a scientist, but there was no doubt she could handle her own in this fight with that terrifying spark of hers.

Tenzou considered his options for a brief moment, his eyes straying to the woven necklace before shaking whatever crazy ideas he may have had out of his head before they formed. Rin could handle this. She didn’t need his help at all and he had a job to do.

His eyes must have given away his longing to stay with her because she shot him an eerie, yet reassuring, toothy smile before sending him off on his way.

But then, behind him, he heard Kakashi yelp in surprise.

**_“You?”_ **

He was still in his trance, but just hearing him say that told Tenzou something even more dreadful. Something he hadn’t expected but should have. Something they all should have expected with the way the Phantom played and toyed with the Captain.

Kakashi knew who the Phantom was.

Whether he knew all along or had just figured it out in the moments leading up to this point was still a mystery, but there was no doubt that with the way his shock lay frozen on his face that the Phantom was familiar; that he was someone the Captain had either never suspected or someone he never thought he’d see again. It turned Tenzou’s stomach. How could someone so powerful and dangerous remain under his nose all those years? Especially with a spark like the Captain’s.

But there was no opportunity to think about it at the moment. Kakashi was missing and Naruto was on a rampage. There was simply no time. Still, Tenzou felt like there was a lot more going on than just a robbery and he didn’t like it. Neither did Rin, whose eyes still glowed with her sinister magic and reflected the same fear. They had to rescue him, but the first thing was first, they had to stop Naruto and figure just what had happened to him. 


End file.
